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New research reveals shoppers plan to spend $2.5 billion on pets during the holidays; ASPCA asks consumers to pledge not to support pet stores, websites selling puppies

This holiday season the ASPCA is urging consumers to help fight puppy mill cruelty by refusing to shop at pet stores and on websites that sell puppies.

"Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills," said Cori Menkin,
senior director of the ASPCA Puppy Mills Campaign. "The holidays are
one of the busiest times of year for pet stores, and unfortunately, many
consumers are unaware they are supporting the inhumane puppy mill
industry by shopping for anything at stores and websites selling
puppies. Supporting these businesses only serves to perpetuate animal
suffering."

According
to the new research, 87 percent of consumers plan to conduct their pet
gift shopping at retail stores, rather than online. Unfortunately, 59
percent of pet gift shoppers would consider buying gifts at a store that also sells puppies—meaning some of that $2.5 billion in revenue may be supporting the puppy mill industry.

As part of its No Pet Store Puppies campaign, the ASPCA is releasing a new holiday video called "Puppies Are Not Toys,"
and encourages viewers to share the video with their social networks,
thereby raising awareness about the connection between pet store puppies
and puppy mills. Operators of puppy mills breed dogs in unsanitary,
overcrowded conditions where profit is given priority over the
well-being of the dogs.

The ASPCA believes that consumer action is a
critical element in the fight against puppy mills. Urging consumers not
to shop for anything—including puppies and supplies—at stores that sell
puppies is an effective way to stop the demand for puppy mill dogs.